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Lemmings

Gameplay

The screen consists of a part showing the level in which the lemmings walk and a part where the player see information on the level. The player can also choose skills to asign to the lemmings in this part of the screen. All levels have a name, a total number of lemmings, a minimum percentage off lemmings you need to save, a minimum release rate and a time limit. Sometimes, the name gives away a clue on how to solve the level.

When the level starts, the entrance opens and lemmings start falling out for the player to guide to the exit. During this travel the player can choose from a number of skills and asign them to the lemmings. The number of skills is always eight and the types are always the same for every level. But the number of times the player can assign one skill to a level varies in every level. It can even happen, the player can't choose a skill at all. This makes solving some levels a real challenge.

Skills

The following skills are available:

Basher

To make horizontal corridors, give a lemming the basher skill. He will bash the way he is facing until he reaches the other end of the obstacle he is bashing. Not all terrain is penetratable, this terrain will make the lemmings stop bashing.

Blocker

To turn lemmings around, make one lemming a blocker. This can be used to trap lemmings between a wall and a blocker or between two blockers. A blocker can be released by removing the ground underneath him, or you can explode the lemming. In the latter, the lemming keeps blocking lemmings until he explodes.

Bomber

Sometimes you need to remove a wall and you only can make lemmings an exploder. The lemming dies in the explosion, surrounding lemmings are not affected but a small crater is left after the explosion. When a lemming is given the bomber skill, a countdown number appears above his head, counting down to 1 starting with 5.

Builder

Sign a lemming to be builder and he will build a 12-step diagonal upwards staircase. If the lemming hits a wall while building, he stops and walks back. Should the lemming hit a blocker, he turns around and continues building.

Climber

When given to a lemming, he can climb vertical walls. If the lemming encounters some overhang, the lemming falls down and walks back again. He can die when he falls down. The lemming keeps this skill until the level ends.

Digger

A vertical shaft can be made with a digger. When a lemming is a digger, he digs down until he reaches the bottom side off the floor or platform. And again, not all terrain is penetratable.

Floater

Any lemming that has been made a floater, will float in the air and can now fall great heights. The lemming keeps this skill until the level ends.

Miner

A miner makes diagonal downwards corridors the way he is facing. When the lemmings mined through the floor or platform, he stops mining. Again, not all terrain is penetratable.

Note: A lemmings who has been made a floater and a climber is known as an athlete.

A lemming performing a skill can be stopped by given the lemming another skill, accept for the blocker. The only way to stop a blocker from blocking is to destroy him or to remove the ground he's standing on.

Elements

And while the lemmings are walking around given skills by the player, they can be hindered by one of the following:

Emptyness

The bottom and sides of the screen are the entrance to a big emptyness, any lemming entering this emptyness is never heard off again.

Lava

The lemmings not only drown in lava, they also burn to death.

Obstacles

Normal obstacles in a level can be overwon using the various skills. They are just annoying.

One-way obstacle

Lemmings can only penetrate a one-way obstacle in the direction the arrows are pointing. In most of the cases, the lemmings need to go around it before it can be penetrated.

Slime

Slime acts the same as water, lemmings will drown when they fall into it, so try to avoid it.

Steel

No matter what skill the player gives a lemming, steel won't butch. From times, steel can be a very irritating obstacle.

Water

Lemmings can't swim, so just avoid the water otherwise they will drown.

Traps

To make live even harder, several traps can be found:

Bearclaw

Any lemming that will pass a bearclaw will die. However, if many lemmings pass it at one time, some can survive. Avoid the bearclaw if possible.

Deadly turner

The deadly turner just desintegrates any lemming in it's way. Just avoid this one.

Firepit

A horrible way to die, try to avoid that the lemmings walk into a firepit.

Flamethrower

Fire just kills every lemming in it's way, avoid it when you can.

Rope

Fun to watch, but still kills lemmings. When a lemming passes the trap, it will get trapped in a rope and pulled into the air after which it is killed. And again, lemmings can survive the trap if they pass it in large groups.

Spikes

When a lemmings hits this type of wall, spikes come out killing him, just avoid them.

Stomper

Just like the bearclaw, the stomper kills a lemming when it passes it. Again, in large groups, some lemmings can survive the stomper.

Other

These controls are also available:

Decrease Release Rate

With this control, the player can adjust the release rate so the lemmings drop from the entrance with longer intervals. The minimum release rate is a fixed number which can be different in every level.

Increase Release Rate

With this control, the player can adjust the release rate so the lemmings drop from the entrance with smaller intervals. The maximum release rate is 99.

Nuke level

When al hope is lost on finishing the level, the player can nuke the level. This will kill all levels and gives the option to restart the level if not enough lemmings are saved. It's also used to end the level when enough lemmings are saved and the player does not want to save anymore lemmings. Also, use it to kill any remaining blockers when there is no bomber skill (left).

Pause level

This control can be used to pause the game and scout the level to come up with a good strategy. With some strategies, the game must be paused to do simultanious actions.

Entrance / exit

Before the player can think up a strategy, it's essential that the player knows how the entrance and exit of a level look like.

Entrance

The entrance always looks like a trapdoor, only the colors can be different in the levels.

Exit

The levels varry in style, this makes the exit look different from time to time.

Playing a level

With all the skills available, it's up to the player to assign selected skills to selected lemmings at the right time. In some levels, the timing is even more essential for a succesfull finish of the level. In other levels, you feel like you have all the time of the world.

Before the lemmings start falling from the entrance it's wise to pause the game and view the whole level so the player can come up with a strategy. When a suitable strategy is thought up, the player unpauses the game and tries the strategy. Part of a strategy might be setting a higher release rate, in some levels this is even necessary to gain some time.

Often, the player has to start all over again with a new strategy, making some levels a real challenge. But when the player finally finishes a level he can happily start a fresh level until the game is finished. At this time, it might be the player doesn't want to play anymore. Luckily there is a password system so you can start the level of your choice. Finishing a level provides the player with the password for the next level.

Categories

The levels off the game are devided in 4 or more categories, the amount of levels and categories can be different among the various platforms the game has been ported to. All versions have 4 categories in common, those are: "Fun", "Tricky", "Taxing" and "Mayhem".

The common categories are off increasing difficulty, where category "Fun" has the most simple levels and "Mayhem" has the most difficult levels. Even so, the player can find it easier to solve a "Mayhem"-category level then a "Tricky"-category level. This is because people tend to think the solution must be difficult, even when the solution is very simple.